Greenfield School District's Budget Balanced, For Now

If all variables remain as is – which is unlikely with the constant ebbs and flows coming out of Madison – the Greenfield School District is eying a balanced 2011-12 budget.

“This year being so unique and not knowing a whole lot about what was going to happen at the state level, this is a little later than usual to have this (preliminary budget) discussion,” Director of Business Services Kristin Kollath said at a Business Administration Committee meeting Monday. “The numbers will likely change by the next time we discuss the budget.”

The preliminary budget calls for a 1.71 percent decrease in both revenues and expenditures in comparison to the 2010-11 budget. It was approved unanimously by the Greenfield School Board later Monday evening.

Kollath constructed her preliminary budget with the assumptions there will be a 5.5 percent reduction in revenue limit authority; a 5.8 percent increase in retirement contributions from employees; no change in health and dental premiums; a 2.68 percent increase in salary for all staff as defined in the teachers' contract; and the use of just over $1 million in Education Jobs Fund revenue.

Revenues, in this preliminary budget, are expected to drop from just over $36 million to $35.5 million. The budget anticipates drops in property taxes (2.23 percent) and state funding (9.89 percent), but increases in certain fees collected (7.34 percent), open enrollment (5.25 percent) and federal funds (8.2 percent). (The federal funds would be up largely because of the use of the Education Jobs Fund money).

According to Kollath, 79 percent of the district’s expenditures are a result of employee salary and benefits, but even with the expected raise, the anticipated employee contribution toward a pension would result in net loss of 3.28 percent, at least for an employee who makes $40,000.

“In this case, an increase in salary would still result in a net decrease per employee,” Kollath said.

Superintendent Conrad Farner said the district likes to have a budget in place by this time each year so the administration and the School Board is comfortable going into the next fiscal year. He also said the district typically brings a more finalized version of the budget to the board in August.